Inscribed by the author

Join in and celebrate at Stas and Stella's Mostly Traditional Polish Wedding! This is not just another audience participation ethnic wedding! The musicians play key roles in presenting this Polish tradition but the guests are the real stars as they volunteer to portray the bridal party and family members. The book focuses on many Polish traditions, Polish customs, Polish foods, and traditional Polish Wedding music and dance! The author touches on the traditions and customs that his grandparents brought to this country and have, in some cases, been forgotten or changed through the generations. The story centers around six musicians who grew up together in a Polish neighborhood. As the evening unfolds, you will experience a traditional Polish Wedding, the way it might have been held 50 years ago and at the same time, learn about the customs and traditions of a small Polish Community in Western New York State.

"A richly detailed and well-informed month-by-month accounting of all the major Polish customs and traditions practiced over the centuries. Ms. Knab stirs and reawakens our ancestral memory." ―The Kosciuszko Foundation Newsletter Now in a paperback edition with illustrations, historical black and white photographs, and color photographs throughout the book! This unique, well-researched reference is arranged by month, showing the various occasions, feasts and holidays prominent in Polish culture―beginning with December it continues through Holy Week Customs, superstitions, beliefs and rituals associated with farming, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, midsummer, harvest festival, wedding rites, Name Days, birth and death. There is also a chapter on Polish pastimes and games for children. Many of the customs and traditions described in the book have been lost even in today's modern Poland. World wars, massive immigration, the loss of the oral tradition, urbanization and politics have changed the face of a once agrarian people and their way of life throughout the calendar year. The changes, however, have not been able to erase the memory of that way of life completely. Many communities of the Polish diaspora throughout the world still feel connected to Poland and choose to reenact harvest celebrations, reminding themselves of their ancestors' reverence for the grains and gifts of bread. The sharing of oplatek, the Christmas Eve wafer, and the words of love while doing so, continue to bind family and friends together. Although the purpose and meaning may have been lost and forgotten, the oczepiny ceremony (the unveiling) is still the mainstay of almost every wedding where the bride declares Polish heritage. This invaluable resource is perfect for anyone who claims Polish ancestry, diligently practicing that which they learned at their parents' and grandparents' knees. It is for families who wish to teach Polish heritage and customs to their children, and for anyone seeking to learn more about their Slavic roots.

Polish Customs, Traditions, & Folklore is organized by months beginning with December and Advent, St. Nicholas Day, the Wigilia (Christmas Eve) nativity plays, caroling and then New Year celebrations. It proceeds from the Shrovetide period to Ash Wednesday, Lent, the celebration of spring, Holy Week customs then superstitions, beliefs and rituals associated with farming, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, midsummer celebrations, harvest festivities, wedding rites, nameday celebrations, birth and death rituals. Line illustrations enhance this rich and varied treasury of folklore. Many of the customs and traditions found herein are extinct even in today's Poland. World wars, massive immigration, the loss of the oral tradition, urbanization and politics have changed the face of a once agrarian people and their accompanying life style. In the U.S., the desire for membership within the "melting pot", marriages outside one's ethnic group, movement to the suburbs away from the "old" communities where customs and traditions were once strong, further weakened the link. Although the purpose and meaning may have been lost and forgotten, the oczepiny ceremony (the unveiling) is still the mainstay of almost every wedding where the bride declares Polish heritage. Many Polish American communities still reenact the harvest celebrations, reminding themselves of their ancestors' reverence for the grains and gifts of bread. Eight million Americans still claim their ancestry as Polish, many still diligently practicing that which they learned at their parents' and grandparents' knees. Much has also been neglected or completely forgotten.

This book acquaints readers with traditional Polish foods associated with various occasions and furnished countless cooking tips and serving suggestions. The clearly written recipes facilitate the preparation of the dishes and their incorporation in the Polish-American mainstream culture. Calendar of Polish Festivities is devoted to those holidays and events connected to a specific time of year. Polish Rites of Passage focuses on life's milestones -- the family occasions that take place at various times of year. This "instruction manual for the culturally aware Polish American" offers over 400 recipes, along with a lexicon of basic foods and culinary concepts, ingredients and procedures, and sample menus.

A description of a traditional Polish wedding.

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